đź•‘4 min read
Tony Stewart is getting back behind the wheel of a Ram 1500.
In this articleâ–ľ
Smoke Heads Back To A Superspeedway
Ram’s Free Agent Experiment Continues
Daytona Created Plenty Of Attention
Another Chance For Stewart And Ram
The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday, October 23, at Talladega Superspeedway, driving Kaulig Racing’s No. 25 Ram 1500. Stewart’s appearance will be part of Ram’s unique Free Agent Driver Program, which has put a rotating lineup of recognizable names behind the wheel throughout the 2026 season.
For Stewart, Talladega will mark his second Truck Series start of the year after helping officially kick off Ram’s return to NASCAR competition at Daytona International Speedway in February.
Tony Stewart’s Ram-Backed No. 25 Ram 1500 in the pits at Daytona. (Kaulig Racing).
Smoke Heads Back To A Superspeedway
Putting Stewart back in the No. 25 makes plenty of sense, especially at a place like Talladega.
At 2.66 miles, Talladega is NASCAR’s largest oval and features corners banked at 33 degrees. Drafting is everything, and having a driver with Stewart’s experience gives Kaulig Racing another opportunity to learn more about its superspeedway package.
Stewart explained that helping the young Ram program develop is part of the reason he wanted another shot behind the wheel.
“Anytime you can get into a Ram truck and go racing at a place like Talladega, you jump at it,” Stewart said. “Daytona in February was a blast, but this trip focuses on having fun while helping Kaulig Racing learn and build their notebook on superspeedways. Ram put a tremendous amount of heart into this NASCAR return. If my experience helps this team sharpen its drafting package and speed up the learning curve, everyone wins.”
Stewart certainly knows his way around Talladega. Across 35 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Alabama superspeedway, “Smoke” collected one victory, nine top-five finishes, and 14 top-10 finishes. His lone Talladega Cup victory came in October 2008.
Ram’s Free Agent Experiment Continues
One of the more interesting pieces of Ram’s NASCAR comeback has been the Free Agent Driver Program.
Kaulig Racing fields five Ram 1500 race trucks, but only four have regular full-time drivers. The No. 25 is reserved for the Free Agent program, allowing Ram to bring in veteran racers, rising talent, and drivers from different forms of motorsports throughout the season.
Stewart was the first driver selected when the program debuted at Daytona.
Since then, names including Jamie McMurray, Ty Dillon, Ryan Newman, Conor Daly, Corey LaJoie, Travis Pastrana, Parker Kligerman, Clint Bowyer, A.J. Allmendinger, Elliott Sadler, Colin Braun, Carson Ferguson, and others have taken turns behind the wheel.
It has given Ram a different storyline almost every race weekend while also giving Kaulig Racing feedback from drivers with very different backgrounds and driving styles.
Tony Stewart returns to the Ram “Free Agent Program” for Talladega. (Kaulig Racing).
Daytona Created Plenty Of Attention
Stewart’s Daytona appearance also proved that putting a major name in the Free Agent truck can attract plenty of attention.
His return helped the February Truck Series season opener average 1.387 million viewers on FS1, a 37% increase compared with the 2025 event. Peak viewership surpassed 1.6 million, making it the most-watched Craftsman Truck Series broadcast since 2016.
It was Stewart’s first NASCAR national series start since 2016 and his first Truck Series appearance since 2005.
His Truck Series résumé may be small, but it is impressive. Stewart has seven career Truck starts with two victories and five top-five finishes. Both wins came at Daytona, where he won back-to-back season openers in 2002 and 2003.
Tony Stewart’s No. 25 Ram 1500 being rolled to the grid. (Kaulig Racing).
Another Chance For Stewart And Ram
Ram’s return to NASCAR has been about more than simply putting its name back on race trucks. The manufacturer has been trying some different ideas, and the Free Agent Program has easily been one of the most entertaining.
Now Stewart gets another opportunity to help develop the program, this time at one of the fastest and most unpredictable tracks on the NASCAR schedule.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from Talladega Superspeedway is scheduled for Friday, October 23, at 4 p.m. EDT on FS1.
With “Smoke” back behind the wheel of the No. 25 Ram 1500, this should be one race Mopar fans will want to keep an eye on.
Like our coverage?
Make MoparInsiders a preferred source on Google and see more of our stories in your results.
Robert S. Miller